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§ THE GLASS FACTORY. §
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#¶&%§=«~,, SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, CONSIDERED POOR. ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, §§ ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, §§ §§ ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, ««««««« § § ««««««« ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, §§ §§ ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, §§ ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, §§ ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, §§ §§ ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, ««««««« § § ««««««« ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, §§ §§ ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, §§ ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, FLOOR. ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, BECOME STILL. ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, §§ ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, §§ §§ ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, ««««««« § § ««««««« ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, §§ §§ ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, §§ ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ,,~«=§%&¶#
¶&%§=«~,,, I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ,,,~«=§%&¶
#¶&%§=«~,, THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ,,~«=§%&¶#
##¶&%§=«~, ,~«=§%&¶##
#¶&%§=«~,, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,,~«=§%&¶#
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